Plaintiff Alleges Mayor Was On Cellphone During Accident

By Michael Verna on May 15, 2016

Lawsuit against mayor and city alleges reckless behavior and distracted driving

A woman who was involved in a car accident with the mayor of a major California city has filed a lawsuit against both the mayor and the city, according to CBS San Francisco. The plaintiff alleges that the mayor was on a cellphone at the time of the crash, which would be a violation of California law. The lawsuit also accuses the mayor of driving recklessly and putting other motorists on the road at risk. The mayor denies the allegations.

Cars collide at intersection

The accident occurred in June when the plaintiff's vehicle and the mayor's Lexus somehow collided with each other at an intersection. The mayor claims that the other person's vehicle clipped her rear tire causing her vehicle to spin around.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, however, the plaintiff claims that the mayor failed to stop or slow down for a stop sign and that the mayor was distracted by driving while on a cellphone at the time of the accident. The mayor has denied the allegations and police have so far said they have been unable to determine whether either driver was on her cellphone. Since the accident, the mayor has vowed to make use of a chauffeur.

Distracted driving

While the facts of this case have yet to be fully determined, it should nonetheless be clear to everyone by now of how dangerous distracted driving can be. Drivers who talk or text on their cellphones while they are behind the wheel only end up putting other peoples' lives at risk.

In California, as in most other states, using a handheld device while driving, like texting and driving, is now illegal. Furthermore, studies have consistently shown that people who use a cellphone while driving are more prone to making driver errors and causing accidents.

Legal help

Unfortunately, no matter how many studies are done, there will always be people who continue to drive while distracted. Being injured by a distracted driver can often leave innocent victims with questions about how and why another driver could negligently disregard the safety of others.

People injured in a car accident caused by a negligent driver should contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. If the other driver is found to be negligent and liable for an accident, then pursuing legal action could help discourage other drivers from engaging in similarly reckless behavior and thus make the roads safer for everybody.